In compiling the below list of Elton John Albums, Ranked Worst to Best, it's easy to fall into old tropes about his studio output: The '70s were great, while the '80s were much less so. The '90s were forgettable – and, as for the '00s and beyond, who cares?

The broad strokes of those generalizations remain true, of course. Upon closer inspection, however, there are a few clunkers from his glory days and a few gems from his comparatively recent output. Elton John's discography is actually full of albums that are ripe for rediscovery.

He remains an artist of remarkable breadth, one as flamboyant as he is talented. The '70s alone found John moving from initial, piano-driven singer-songwriter sounds to moments of Beatles-esque pop, nervy rock, baroque grandeur, funky coolness and impossibly beautiful balladry. Into the next decades, he focused more determinedly on the sleek pop of the day, before returning to his earliest, stripped-down sound. Elton John would eventually score a Top 40 single in each of the years between 1970-96, many of them acknowledged today as contemporary standards.

As with any figure who boasts that kind of longevity, there were slumps along the way, as well as detours into addiction and falling outs with principal collaborators. But, as you'll see, John seems to bounce back each time. How do they all stack up? Check out our list of Elton John Albums, Ranked Worst to Best.

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